St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-02-22
THE COUNTRY'S CASH.
Speaker Carlisle S uuded as to His Will
ingness to Take Charge Of Uncle
Sans Millions.
He is Reluctant to Abandon His Present
Career for a Position in Oleve-
lands Cabinet.
Members of the House Give Their
Views Regarding Pending
Land Legislation.

Nj emberS of the House Give Their
Views Regarding Pending
Land Legislation.
A Chicago Mans Costly Mea1-- Con-
gresham Glover, Of Missouri,
Married.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 21.-It is stated
upon good authority that week or ten
days ago Representative William l.. Scott
of Pennsylvania, went to Speaker Carlisle
and asked him if he would accept the secre-
taryship of the treasury if it was rendered
TO him, remarkng as he did so that he (N1r
Scott could not entertain such a PROPOSE
ton if it was made to him, as he was in
tereSled in so many institutions i'll conflict
with lawful requirements for the office, and
besides it would take six months for him
to get ready to accept the offer if it was
is stated, replied that he could not afford to
relinquish his hold upon congressional life
for position in the cabinet: that
THE PERSONAL SACRIFICE
would be too great, and he hoped the office
WOQlu HUG NC ICuOClCu NIilkt LIZ w do lOiu
why he was thought of in connection with
the Office. 1t was because he entertained
the popular idea of monetary matters and
the party policy in regard to the tariff and
internal revenue and further, that his con-
nection with the administration might have
very material influence in success at the
polls. Looking at it in this light the
speaker replied that he might reconsider,
should it be generally demanded that he
should succeed Mr.. Manning. He observed,
however, that he could do more in his pres
ent position than il he were in the cabinet,
and that some other man could be selected
who would give quite as Ihuch satisfaction
to the country and who would
make no general or personal sacrifice
in assuming control of the Office.
He was requested to go to the president
and speak as he then spoke, and give his
advice upon the question. The speaker
and president were in consultation for three
hours Yesterday, but no definite conclusion
has yet been reached. The speaker de-
lines to say whether any formal offer Of
the place has been made him. but his init
mate friends believe that it has, and that he
is seriously inclined to accept.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Col. Lamont
said tonight the Secretaryship of the treas
ury had not as yet been offered to any one,
all reports to the contrary Notwithstanding.
and that the president had not yet settled
the matter in his own mind.
THE MOUSE.
A Lively Debate OH the Bill to Re.
peal the Pre- EmptiOn, Timber Cul-
ture and Desert land Laws.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Mr. Hender-
son. from the committee on elections, SUBJ
mitted report on the Indiana contested
election case of Kidd against Steele and it
was laid over until Thursday. The report,
which is unanimous, confirms the right of
the contestee (Steele) to the seat Mr..
Cobb. Ind, then called up the conference
report of disagreement on the bill re-
pealipg the presumption, timber culture and
desert fsafa laws. Mr.. Stone, Mo-, said
that the rapid augmentation of the popula-
tion of the country, the rapid decrease of
the area of the public lands and the grow
tee Oh public lands to report
measure to the house providing for
the repeal of the presumption. timber
culture and desert land laws. Under existing
avs single person could enter 160 acres
under the homestead, 16O acres under the
-emption, 100 under the timber culture
and $40 acres under the desert land law,
making total of 1, ,120 acres. The COM
mittee mad considered it wiser and more
humane that the lands should be distribu-
ted in smaller quantities to a great number
of people. Outrageous and
SCANDALOUS ABUSES
had grown up under existing laws, Which
had been taken advantage of by the land
sharks in order to secure millions of acres
of the public land. These abuses the COM
mittee had sought to correct. The bill had
gone to the senate, which had adopted
substitute for it, practically agreeing to all
that the house had asked. But it had gone
further and inserted several provisions to
which the house conferees could not agree
one of those provisions would result in
confirming uine-tenths of all the fraudulent
entries. amounting to millions of acres.
The senate conferees, however, had agreed
that this provision be eliminated, The
seventh section of the senate substitute
permitted the entry of $50 acres Of noun
tainouS land under the homestead law.
Though the house conferees regarded this
provision as ill advised and establishing a
new classification of the public lands, they
had yielded this point. Another provision
of ukstitute made subject to private
eHtfE fEgble lands heretofore offered for
sale Femaining unsold. This provision
had not Been thoroughly discussed in con-
ference, but it was probable that an agree
mentmight have been reached upon it had
it not been for the irreconciiable difference
of opinion among the conferees as to the
eighth section of the substitute. The Sec
tion provided that after final proof of the
claimant and the issuing of the duplicate
receivers script, if it shall be proved to the
satisfaction of the commission that fraud
has entered into the title (unless it shall ap-
pear that the land has been sold or con-
,veyed toja bona fde purchaser for valu-
able conSideration) the commission shall
suspend the issuing of the patent for the
same and file with the attorney general to
commence proceedings to set aside such
title, if, in his Judgment the proceedings
can be maintained. This action he re-
garded as inimical to every idea of sound
legislation and of sound morals and hon.
esty. Mr.. Strait. of Minnesota, said that
the only real difference between the house
and senate conferees was whether or not an
entryman should be allowed to go to the
courts after the cancellation of the final
certifieate by the commissioner OF the
general land office. Mr.. Peterson, Kan
sas, said the difference between the two
houses Was as to the protection of innocent
purchasers The position of the senate
was that persons who had purchased from
pre- -emptors in good faith
SHOULD BE PROTECTED
in their rights. The position of the house
was virtually that innocence should be pun
ished in order that guilt might not go un-
punished. The house did not propose that
one innocent man should be nunished in